The disclosure relates to a scratch-resistant glass. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a glass having a scratch resistant layer. Even more particularly, the disclosure relates to a method of providing a glass with improved scratch resistance.
Ion exchangeable glasses are widely used as cover glasses and in the bodies of electronic devices. Although ion exchange provides enhanced surface strength to the glass, the improvement in hardness is minimal, and the glass is still susceptible to scratches caused by exposure to materials that are harder than glass.
Attempts to improve scratch or abrasion resistance typically include manipulating the composition of the glass itself to increase hardness, use of alternate materials, or applying hard coatings to the glass surface. In most instances, cost, poor scalability, and loss of transparency makes such approaches unsuitable for large area glass applications.